Limbaugh Fires Back at Critics in First On-Air Apology

March 5 (Bloomberg) -- Rush Limbaugh fired back on the air
at critics today after apologizing a second time for calling a
Georgetown University law student a “slut” over her testimony
about birth control before Congress.

“I acted too much like the leftists who despise me,”
Limbaugh said on today’s show, according to a transcript at his
website. “I descended to their level, using names and
exaggerations to describe Sandra Fluke. It was wrong, and that’s
why I’ve apologized.”

Limbaugh’s apology came as advertisers fled his talk show,
the most popular on radio, over criticism last week of Fluke,
who spoke on Feb. 23 in favor of President Barack Obama’s policy
requiring insurers to offer contraceptives to women. Media
Matters for America, a group that targets conservative media, is
promoting a boycott of Limbaugh’s show, distributed by Clear
Channel Communications Inc.’s Premiere Radio Networks.

AOL.com Inc., the Internet-based publisher, and Stamps.com
Inc., the online retailer, said today they would pull ads from
Limbaugh’s program.

“We have monitored the unfolding events and have
determined that Mr. Limbaugh’s comments are not in line with our
values,” Caroline Campbell, an AOL spokeswoman in New York,
said in an e-mailed statement. “As a result we have made the
decision to suspend advertising on the Rush Limbaugh show.”

Advertiser Backlash

Stamps.com’s decision, disclosed in an e-mailed statement
sent by Eric Nash, a spokesman for the Los Angeles-based
company, brought the number of advertisers dropping Limbaugh’s
show to at least 10.

The Associated Press earlier identified nine that have
pulled spots, including the ProFlowers delivery service and
mortgage lender QuickenLoans. LegalZoom.com Inc., an online
provider of legal services, is among those dropping its ads.

“Our company does not in any way support or endorse the
recent comments of Mr. Limbaugh,” Andrea Holland, a spokeswoman
for LegalZoom, said in a statement.

Representatives of Premiere and Clear Channel didn’t
respond to requests for comment from Bloomberg News.

“The contraception debate is one that sparks strong
emotion and opinions on both sides of the issue,” Premiere said
in a statement, the New York Times reported. “We respect the
right of Mr. Limbaugh, as well as the rights of those who
disagree with him, to express those opinions.”

Clear Channel was taken private in a buyout led by Bain
Capital Partners LLC and Thomas H. Lee Partners LP in July 2008.

Limbaugh Ratings

Limbaugh averaged 13.2 million listeners a week as of
spring 2011, according to ratings supplied by Horizon Media
Inc., an ad planning and placement company. Talkers magazine, a
Longmeadow, Massachusetts, publication, called Limbaugh the most
listened-to talk-radio host.

The controversy isn’t likely to have a long-term impact on
the show, said Michael Harrison, editor and publisher of
Talkers.

“Millions of people like to hate him, because he’s
entertaining,” Harrison said in a phone interview. “To many
advertisers, this is showing why they might want to be on his
show. Some advertisers will come back. Some are dropping him for
the attention they get for doing so.”

Limbaugh called Fluke a “slut” and a “prostitute” on
his radio program. He posted an apology on his website March 3
and said this on his program today:

“Those two words were inappropriate,” Limbaugh said
according to the transcript. “They were uncalled for. They
distracted from the point that I was actually trying to make,
and I again sincerely apologize to Ms. Fluke for using those two
words to describe her. I do not think she is either of those two
words. I did not think last week that she is either of those two
words.”

Fluke’s Response

Fluke, speaking on the television show “The View” today,
responded to Limbaugh’s apology.

“I don’t think a statement like this issued saying that
his choice of words was not the best, changes anything,” Fluke
said on the show. “He’s under significant pressure from his
sponsors who are beginning to pull their support.”

Clear Channel, based in San Antonio, operates 866 US.
stations in 150 markets as of Dec. 31, according to regulatory
filing. The Premiere Networks unit produces or supplies 90
syndicated programs to almost 5,800 affiliate stations.